One of Europe’s largest LGBTQI festivals was transformed in a matter of moments into a scene of absolute terror , causing strong political shockwaves in Germany. The bloody end of the tragedy was written almost twenty-four hours after the attack, with the death of the main suspect by police fire .
Abdul Balut , 21, who was wanted for the white van and machete terror attack during Christopher Street Day events, was found dead on Sunday afternoon.
According to the official information of the German authorities, the suspect was spotted and attacked the police officers holding a sharp weapon , forcing them to open fire. The attack, which Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrind directly described as an Islamist terrorist attack , cost the life of a woman and injured 29 people , with several of them hospitalized in critical condition .
The nightmarish incident began on Saturday night, around 10 p.m. local time , when thousands of citizens and visitors were celebrating in the central Tiergarten park , a short distance from the Brandenburg Gate , where the closing party of the LGBTQI parade was in progress. Suddenly, a white van sped into the gathered crowd, mercilessly dragging unsuspecting people before crashing into a tree. The driver immediately abandoned the vehicle and continued his murderous rampage on foot, blindly attacking the bystanders with a sharp object .
One woman succumbed instantly to her serious injuries, while the fire department confirmed that three injured people have life-threatening injuries, eight are hospitalized in serious condition and five have minor injuries.
The point of the attack was not the official parade route, but a busy part of the park where revelers, residents, and tourists coexisted.
The police immediately launched a giant manhunt across the capital, releasing a photo of the 21-year-old wanted man and warning the public that he was a particularly dangerous and armed individual.
The pursuit ended in the western suburb of Spandau , when a special police unit (SEK) found Balut hiding in a garden complex. When the officers tried to disarm him, he threatened them, resulting in him being fatally shot . Despite immediate resuscitation efforts by rescuers, the perpetrator died at the scene, and it was revealed that the authorities were led to his trail thanks to information from his inner circle .
The revelation of the perpetrator’s identity and past has sparked strong reactions and questions about the functioning of security institutions. Balout, a German citizen of Lebanese origin , born in Berlin in 2005, already had a serious criminal record from his adolescence with convictions for violent attacks and robberies, while he was registered with the authorities as a member of the city’s Islamist environment and an outspoken supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS) . In fact, in 2025 he had traveled to Lebanon with the intention of crossing into Syria to join jihadist organizations , where he was arrested, convicted by a military court and then extradited to Germany.
The most controversial aspect of the case, which is expected to spark intense political debate, is the fact that in May 2026 the perpetrator was given a 22-month suspended prison sentence , while also attending deradicalization programs . The prosecution had already appealed this decision, considering it too lenient. The crucial question of how a dangerous and potential jihadist was free on the streets of Berlin now urgently requires answers from the judiciary and political authorities.
Political reactions were immediate, with Interior Minister Alexander Dobrid warning of the danger of would-be imitators , while emphasizing the need for society not to succumb to fear.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner spoke of a direct attack on a free and cosmopolitan society , while Chancellor Friedrich Merz unequivocally condemned the heinous act of hatred .
At the same time, investigators are examining the possibility of accomplices, as a man of Iranian nationality was arrested as a suspect as a passenger in the van, although the extent of his involvement has not yet been confirmed.
